Let's get one thing out of the way: a souvenir I'm not bringing back and don't have the slightest desire to bring back is a child. So, for any of you Namibians reading this, please stop offering me yours.
So, what do I want to bring back? Well, there's the obviously cliche answers. These are intangible. My memories. My experiences. The lessons I've learned. The skills I've picked up. The friendships I've made. However, there's no need to want to bring these back. After all, they're in my head and par of who I am after these two years. So, instead of trying to be deep and all, I'm just going to be straight forward and list some things.
Sadly, it doesn't look like the first one is going to happen. Despite my best efforts, it does not look like I'll be bringing a Namibian National Soccer Team jersey to add to my collection. I did get a decent consolation prize: a nice NFA sideline jacket. And I've found a store which sells African Stars and Black Africa jerseys (two of Namibia's most popular clubs). And, I can get a South Africa, and maybe Kaizer Chiefs (the club my friends here support, and thus so do I) or Orlando Pirates. Maybe even a rugby jersey or two. The reason I really like soccer jerseys as souvenirs is that, along with being cool things to collect, the are also functional. After all, I can wear them around, and they make nice conversation starters, from time-to-time.
And there are coins. I'll be bringing plenty of those back. Anyone interested, let me know. No problem of a complete set (five dollars, one dollar, fifty cents, ten cents, and five cents), but I should have a bunch to bring back, so let me know.
Jewelry and nick-nacks aren't really my thing, but at least they make nice gifts. And they're small things, so why not. Shitanges, especially.
A nice patch to sow onto a backpack would be cool, and no too expensive.
Some of the materials I've picked up in the course of my work. I mean, condom info is the same in the US as it is in Namibia, right?
I've got a few t-shirts, mostly work-related. Still waiting for my Sunrise Hotel (the bar I frequent) shirt to come in. Same with the PAN hat I've ordered. Hopefully they arrive in time. Fingers crossed.
Oh, and if possible, a couple bottles of nice South African wines (for me) and, despite being sick of them and ready to get back to the choice selection in America (dad, you better have some Magic Hats, Abita, Heavy Seas, and Flying Dog waiting in the fridge for me), I would like to try and bring a couple bottles of beer back for my friends to try.
And, I guess some packs of braai spice and those nut keychains the men in my town sell are cheap, small, and easy things I can bring back, and they'd make nice gifts.
Of course, there are two "souvenirs" I'm hoping not to bring back: malaria and parasites. So far so good on that front.
Okay, so this post was a tad silly, I realize. I'm sure when they asked, they were hoping for deeper answers, the kind I alluded to earlier. So what? I mean, these were two very significant years for me, where they not? I think wanting something tangible to serve as memories, beyond the thousands of photos I've taken (yeah, I fancy myself a bit of a photographer now, though I'm not too fond of my "skills" yet), is not something you could hold against me. Of course, my drum already made it back (hopefully in one piece, if my parents packed it nicely), so even if I don't bring anything else back, I got that.
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